FT - Coping with big stacked calling station to my left. 10/180

[JammyDodga]

Playing the 10/180 MTT on stars, I was doing quite well coming up to the final table - I knew who was going to let me steal their blinds, who was limping in EP and folding to a decent raise, etc.

With some good aggression I had managed to build my stack up to 30k, which was about average, but the big blind was 1200, so my M was stil pretty low.

With two tables left I'd been watching the other table as well and spotted a very big stack 90k, who was calling with pretty much anything, I mean 48s, k4o, etc, playing every second hand almost, and hitting enough to pick off peoples c-bets and bluffs - he was also getting pretty lucky I guess.

When we got down to the FT, I was dismayed to find myself directly to his right, so that in almost every hand I had to act without knowing what he was going to do, and assuming that he was going to call.

I wasn't entirely sure what to do. So I tightened up alot, and started only raising with hands which I'd be happy to be called with 88+ A10+

The only hand in this range I got though was AA - I raised to 3600 - he called, flop came king and queen of clubs, and a low card. I pushed - hoping that he would have caught a piece of this flop and mistake the oevrbet for a bluff. However after tanking for 45 seconds he folded, so I think it nearly worked.

After that I didn't realy get any hands, and was blinded away until I went all in with A10 on the CO for 15k, and was called by AK in the BB - game over.

My question is, how would other people deal with this guy? Was I right to tighten up? should I try limping with some good draws and hope that he limps too and gives me the implied odds if I hit?

Should I try a go and go - big raise pre-flop, push any flop? (unless one of the other players got involved)

Any thoughts?

[8Adam8]

...
Just play solid.

Raise your good hands to 2.5bb. If he calls in position, be careful about what you cbet and make sure you expect him to call your cbets. Play smart.

When you get to 12-20bb's, start re-stealing on ppl.

When you get to 12bbs and less, start pushbotting,

[JammyDodga]

[ QUOTE ]
...
Just play solid.

Raise your good hands to 2.5bb. If he calls in position, be careful about what you cbet and make sure you expect him to call your cbets. Play smart.

When you get to 12-20bb's, start re-stealing on ppl.

When you get to 12bbs and less, start pushbotting,

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi there, thanks for the advice - points 1 and 3 sound about what I thought and did.

Regarding "When you get to 12-20bb's, start re-stealing on ppl." Is this something you'd do more because of the calling station i.e. re-steal rather than try and nab the blinds in late position? or is this just standard play?

Also - are you re-stealing all in, or re-raising?

My problem is that a reaosnable part of my FT play involves trying to pick up the blinds cheap, (obvious I know, but pretty effective) and this guy effectively stopped me from doing that.

[8Adam8]

12-20bb's = re-stealing stacks

someone opens for 2.5-4bb's, you go allin

this is standard in tournaments

[ QUOTE ]
My problem is that a reaosnable part of my FT play involves trying to pick up the blinds cheap, (obvious I know, but pretty effective) and this guy effectively stopped me from doing that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, so don't steal. Open solid hands. Then when he calls with garbage, play better than im postflop.

[JammyDodga]

[ QUOTE ]
12-20bb's = re-stealing stacks

someone opens for 2.5-4bb's, you go allin

this is standard in tournaments

[ QUOTE ]
My problem is that a reaosnable part of my FT play involves trying to pick up the blinds cheap, (obvious I know, but pretty effective) and this guy effectively stopped me from doing that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, so don't steal. Open solid hands. Then when he calls with garbage, play better than im postflop.

[/ QUOTE ]

So basically your advice is just tighten up?

[8Adam8]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
12-20bb's = re-stealing stacks

someone opens for 2.5-4bb's, you go allin

this is standard in tournaments

[ QUOTE ]
My problem is that a reaosnable part of my FT play involves trying to pick up the blinds cheap, (obvious I know, but pretty effective) and this guy effectively stopped me from doing that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, so don't steal. Open solid hands. Then when he calls with garbage, play better than im postflop.

[/ QUOTE ]

So basically your advice is just tighten up?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes sir

[JoeyJoJo Shabadu]

He couldn't have been calling every raise... or you don't get blinded out. So a little more info.. was the table limping, was he calling AIs, was he calling 3x bets with position only to outplay weakness? Would he bet the flop when checked to always? I get the feeling he wasn't quite just a lucky donkey.